Earthen brick structure foreshadows earthen brick homes in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A small wall built with Compressed Earthen Bricks (CEBs) on Vine Street is trying to shake up the home construction industry.
The wall was built by Civic Saint, as a proof of concept for it’s CEB homes, which could create 850 square foot single-family homes that would sell for between $130,000-140,000.
Real estate data shows the median price for a home is around $250,000 and is generally increasing, leaving a lot of people out.
“I think that it really is proof of concept for affordability,” said Civic Saint Founder Godfrey Riddle.
‘It’s a dream come true’: Taylor Swift’s ‘Love Story’ castle to host weddings
The partially-built wall that stands on Vine Street now will show people who go to the “Super Abundant Neighborhoods: Regeneration on Kansas City’s East Side” panel discussion what’s possible with CEB builds.
“I think it gives them the opportuntiy to really see and understand the product as it might manifest in their life and their home,” said Riddle.
The affordability is what makes Civic Saint team member Rob Taylor excited to help make the bricks and put them together.
“It gives [familes] inspiration and hope and secondly, it gives them a viable option,” said Taylor. “When you beautify a community, it actually brings a different kind of energy, more positive, people are more inclined to communicate with each other in a healthy way.”
Illustrator and Artist Jessie Green is adding her art to the outside of the structures that could one day help families like hers.
“I don’t know anybody in my own family that can say, ‘I went out and bought my own home or own my own home,” said Green. “So to start that and be able to make that attainable for people from where I’m from is a big thing for me.”
Demolition begins for building at longtime vacant apartments in KCK
“To know that its going to be a family that can benefit from it that might have gotten the doors closed somehwere else, that’s fulfilling to me,” said Taylor.
Riddle will be part of the “Super Abundant Neighborhoods: Regeneration on Kansas City’s East Side” panel discussion Thursday morning. You can find more information about that event here.
